Furniture construction



Jam 17, 1956 H. H. CADMAN ET AL FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION Filed July 30. 1949 IN VEN TORS.

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United States Patent O FURNITURE CDNSTRUCTION Harry H. Cadman and John J. Ducey, Elkhart, Ind.

Application July 30, 1949, Serial No. 107,728

11 Claims. (Cl. 155-191) This invention relates to improvements in furniture construction, such as tables and chairs which have supporting legs.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a novel, strong, readily cleanable, light weight article of furniture especially suitable for fabrication from synthetic materials, such as synthetic resins reinforced by glass fibers.

A further object is to provide an article of furniture with a novel, adjustable leg structure.

A further object is to provide an article of furniture with novel means for connecting a leg to a body portion thereof.

A further object is to provide a chair unit having a novel, unitary, integrally reinforced structure forming the seat and back rest of a chair.

A further object is to provide a novel arm rest construction and novel joining means for connecting an arm rest to a chair.

Other objects will be apparent from the following specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a side view of the chair with parts shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a view of the chair in front elevation, with parts shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the chair.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the leg structure, illustrating the adjustability thereof.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. l, illustrating a modified embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing which illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention as applied to a chair, the numeral designates the seat portion, which is mounted upon leg units 12 and is preferably provided with a back rest 14 and which may have arm rests 16, if desired.

2,731,078 Patented Jan. 17, 1956 FCice front ends thereof, the portion of the width or depth thereof which depends below the lseat panel decreases progressively, and simultaneously a portion of said flange at 26 projects above the seat panel 20, which portion 26 is of progressively increasing height from front to rear thereof.

At the rear of the seat panel 20 said panel extends upwardly at 28 in a substantially vertical position. Said portion 28 is best illustrated in Fig. 2, being substantially the full width of the seat panel to the height of the rear end portion of the flanges 26 and thence is narrowed at a portion 30, which portion 30 preferably extends forwardly and upwardly for the major portion of its extent. The parts 28 and 30 are preferably formed integrally with the seat panel 20 and constitute the support which connects the back rest 14 to the seat panel 10.

The back rest comprises a panel 32 of substantially the same width as the chair seat, which is curved at 34 at its lower end and at 36 at its upper end in a rearward direction. The panel 32 is substantially flat transversely through the major portion of its extent, but at its opposite sides said back is preferably bent forwardly at 38, as best seen in Fig. 3, with its margins at 40 curved rearwardly and forming continuations of the curved margins 36'at the upper end of the panel 32. The back rest thus constitutes one panel of substantially streamlined form presenting convex or fiat surfaces to engage the back of the chair user and avoiding all sharp angles which would be likely to produce discomfort or to produce a point of structural weakness.

The panel portions Z, 28, 30 and 32 are preferably of the same cross-section dimension or thickness, and the flanges 22, 24, 26, 36 and 40 are preferably of the same thickness or cross-section, thereby facilitating, through uniformity of cross-section, the fabrication of the parts by molding or other means to insure uniformity of curing, in the case of thermosetting plastics, and to insure uniform setting and avoidance of shrinkage 0r distortion in the case of thermoplastic resins. Flanges of substantially the same thickness as the remaining parts are formed integrally therewith for the purpose of reinforcing the structure. Such flanges preferably include a plu- The seat portion 10 and the back rest portion 14 are preferably formed integrally in one structuralunit, being molded, or otherwise shaped by any means found suitable, of glass bers which are bonded together with suitable resin. t will be understood that, while'the formation of the chair or other article of furniture from glass fibers is prefererd, it may be formed of lany material such as molded or shaped thermosetting plastics'or thermoplastic resins, used either in solid or pure form lor filled with fibrous or other reinforcing material, such as paper pulp, cloth, threads or the like. The seat unit includes a generally horizontal seat panel 20 of any desired size and shape and preferably contoured, as illustrated generally in Fig. l, to provide a comfortable seating surface.

rality of depending flanges 42 extending from a point substantially midway between the front and back of the seat panel 20 rearwardly in substantially parallel relation, thence in integral portions 44 projecting rearwardly upwardly 'at the panel portions 28, thence integral flange portions 46 extending rearwardly and upwardly from panel portion 30, and flange portions 48 extending rearwardly from the back rest panel 32. Any selected number of these flanges 42-48 may be formed, and the dimensions thereof will preferably be such as to provide suflic'ient rigidity for the respective parts from which they project without detracting from the appearance thereof or being excessive in extent.

vAt each of the four corners of the seat panel 10 is I located a socket member 50. Each socket member 50 A flange 22 depends from the seat panel 20 at the front panel 20. As the flanges 24 project rearwardly fromthe preferably has a flange portion 52 of large area Whose uppermost surfaceconforms to the contour of the seat panel. 20 so that said parts may be bonded or cemented together in full face engagement. The socket members 50 `preferably are formed from glass fibers bonded by resin, or from any other material found suitable. Thus the members 50 may be formed from metal, if desired. Where the members 50 are formed of the same material as the body of the chair,.a suitable bonding agent or solvent may be employed to fuse or bond the members 50 to the chair seat. In other instances cements may be employed or, if desired, rivets, screws or other. mechanical Vsecuring means may be employed to connect the sockets 50 to the chair seat 10.V The flange 52 has a tubular portion 54 depending therefrom substantially perpendicularly thereto, and a plurality of webs 56 depending substantially radially outwardly from the tubular portion 54 serve to brace the unit, said flanges 56 being of tapered form to flare upwardly and outwardly from the tubular portion 54 to the marginal portions of the liange 52. As best illustrated in Fig. 3, the tubular portion 54 preferably has a at portion 5S.

The legs 12 constitute tubes which have a at portion and which fit snugly within the tubular portion 54 of the sockets 50. The leg tubes 60 may be formed of resin bonded glass fibers, of metal or any other material found suitable, and may be bonded, fused, mechanically secured, or otherwise secured at their upper end portions within the tubular portions 54 of the socket members 50. At the lower end ofthe llat face portion of the leg tube 60 is positioned an elongated leaf spring member 62 anchoredl at its upper end to the leg portion and having its lower end portion free. A locating pin 64 is carried by the lower free end of the spring 62 to project inwardly therefrom, and a knob 66 is carried by the outer end portion of said pin. The locating pin 64 extends through an aperture 68 formed in the tubular leg 60 and projects inwardly relatively thereto. A metal bar or tube 70 has a snug sliding t within the tubular leg 60 and has a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures 72 formed therein and adapted to receive the locating pin 64. Thus it will be apparent that the overall length of the leg unit formed fromithe tube 60 and the bar or tube 70 may be adjusted by sliding the member 70 within the tube 6l) and causing the anchor pin 64 to pass through a selected socket 72 of the member '70. This adjustment is firmly locked by the passage of the pin 64 through the registering openings 63 and 72 and can quickly be changed by pulling upon the knob 66 to flex the spring 62 and thereby shift the pin 64 clear of the inner leg member 70 so that said inner leg member may slide longitudinally within the tubular leg portion. 6l). The bore of the tubular leg member 60 will preferably have a at inner surface, and the member will likewise have a longitudinal flat surface, so that the member 70 is prevented from rotating within the member 60.

At its lower end the inner member 70 preferably mounts a part-spherical head 74, and this head preferably tits within the socket of a foot member 76. Sufficient clearance is provided between the parts so that the foot member 76 may adjust itself to rest at upon the supporting surface and to accommodate irregularities in the supporting surface. It will be understood, of course, that the use of a socketed foot portion 76 as illustrated is optional, and that the lower end portion of the member 7@ may assume any form or shape and be adapted to bear directly upon a supporting surface.

In the event it is desired to provide an arm rest unit for the chair, said unit may take the form partially illustrated in Fig. 2 and illustrated in dotted lines in Figs. l and 3. shaped unit having a base panel 8l) adapted to extend transversely of the chair seat 20 and contoured to bear in face engagement thereagainst and preferably to be fused, bonded or otherwise vanchored or secured to the chair seat. The panel 30 is preferably provided .with two or more integral depending reinforcing flanges 82. At its opposite ends the panel Btl is bent downwardly at 84 and thence upwardly at 86 with the parts 84 Vand S6 so shaped as to provide channels into which the depending marginal lianges 24 at the opposite sides of the chair seat fit snugly. The panel 86 extends upwardly to desired height, and at its upper end merges with an outwardly extending arm rest panel S8. A plurality of anges 90 project from the portions. 84, 86, preferably being integral therewith and with the flanges 82 and serving to reinforce the U-shaped off-set fitting around the seat ange portion 24. A plurality of flanges The arm rest 16 preferably comprises a U- agents, or mechanical securing means.

92 project upwardly, preferably merging with the flanges and reinforce the panels 86 and 88 to complete the arm rest structure. Thus it will be seen that the arm rest comprises a single unit which can be applied very easily and quickly, which is light in weight, adequately reinforced, and effectively anchored to the chair.

A modified embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 5, the modification residing primarily in the manner in whch vthe legs are connected to the remainder of the structure. In Fig. 5 the chair seat and the portion of the back rest of the chair which are associated are of the same construction described above and bear the same reference numerals. The front legs in this construction are illustrated as being formed integrally with the chair seat 10, the same being designated by the numeral 1% and being formed of the same material as the remainder of the chair and extending integrally downwardly from the flanges 24 at the front corners of the chair seat. The legs will preferably be of curved cross-sectional shape, such as U-shape or V-shape. The rear legs 102 may be of any desired cross-sectional shape and preferably are formed of the same material as the remainder of the chair but separate therefrom. Two rear legs are preferably part of a leg assembly, being joined together by a transverse panel portion 104 adapted to bear against the bottom surface of the chair seat 20 and being contoured to follow the curvature of the chair seat, as at the curved portion N6, which bears against a portion of the bend in the seat material between the seat panel 20 and the rear upright panel 23. At its opposite sides the transverse panel 10d may have a depending llange 108 each adapted for face engagement with one of the depending side flanges 24 of the chair. The panel 104 is not continuous but is interrupted by depending U-shaped portions il@ so shaped and constructed that they lit around the reinforcing anges 42 depending from the seat panel 20. It will be apparent that the legs 102, when constructed as described, are readily and easily attached to the chair at the bottom of the seat panel thereof and are held in proper relation thereto by the configuration thereof and by the flanges 16S and the U-shaped offset portions 110 which embrace the anges 42. This leg unit may be secured to the remainder of the chair by the use of cement, bonding or fusing Also it will be apparent that the front legs may be formed separately from the chair seat and assembled therewith in a manner similar to that described above with reference to the rear legs 102 or with reference to the legs l2.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that changes in the construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention. Likewise it will be understood that the specific shape or appearance of the chair, as illustrated herein, is illustrative and not intended to be limiting.

We claim:

1. An article of furniture comprising a substantially horizontal member, reinforcing members carried by the margins of said horizontal member and including portions which project both above and below said horizontal member'and are of varying dimension longitudinally thereof, said members being formed integrally from plastic material and being of substantially uniform thickness throughout, and a leg unit'secured to and supporting said horizontal member and including a transverse panel portion at its upper end contoured to conformwith and bear in at face engagement against the bo-ttom face of saidnori- Zontal member adjacent to said reinforcing members, said horizontal member having a bottom contour with ribs, said conformingtransverse leg panel portion being recessed to receive said ribs and position said leg unit.

' 2. In a chair, a unitary integral plastic structure comprising a substantially horizontal seat panel, a support panel projecting upwardly and forwardly from the rear part of said seat panel, a substantially upright back panel projecting from and carried by the upper end of said support panel, flanges projecting from and integral with the side margins of said seat panel, said flanges depending from said seat panel at the front portion thereof and each having portions projecting both above and below said seat panel at the remainder thereof, the rear ends of the liange portions above said seat panel being integral with said support panel.

3. The construction defined in claim 2, wherein a plurality of flanges positioned in substantially vertical planes throughout their full extent are formed integrally with said seat panel, support panel and back panel, said last named lianges projecting rearwardly from said back panel and support panel, projecting downwardly from the rear portion of said seat panel and being positioned in inwardly spaced relation to the sides of said seat panel and back panel.

4. The construction defined in claim 2, wherein said support panel includes a lower portion of substantially the same width as said seat panel and an upper portion of a width narrower than said seat panel and said back panel, and rearwardly projecting integral reinforcing ribs carried by both said support panel and said back panel.

5. The construction defined in claim 2, and a leg unit secured to said seat panel and including an upper transverse panel having a contour conforming to said seat panel for continuous face engagement therewith.

6. The construction delined in claim 2, and a leg unit secured to said seat panel and including a socket having a flange secured in face engagement to said seat panel, a tube anchored in said socket, an insert fitting telescopically in said tube, and a lock for anchoring said insert at selected position in said tube.

7. The construction defined in claim 2, and a leg unit secured to said seat panel and including a socket fixedly depending from said seat panel, a tube having a portion anchored in said socket and an aperture in its projecting portion, a leg extension fitting telescopically in said tube and having a longitudinal set of spaced transverse apertures, an elongated spring anchored to said tube spaced from said tube aperture, and a pin carried by the face end of said spring and normally seating in said tube aperture and a registering extension aperture.

8. The construction defined in claim 2, wherein said seat panel has integral depending ribs spaced from said flanges, and a leg unit including an upper panel secured in face engagement to the bottom of said seat panel and having a U-shaped off-set tting snugly around one of said ribs.

9. The construction defined in claim 2, and an arm rest unit including a pair o'f upright arm rests and a connecting portion therebetween secured in face engagement to the bottom of said seat panel.

10. The construction defined in claim 2, and an arm rest unit including a pair of upright arm rests and a connecting portion therebetween secured in face engagement to the bottom of said seat panel, said unit having a depending U-shaped olf-set adjacent the junctions of said arm rests and said connecting portion and fitting snugly around the marginal seat flanges.

1l. An article of furniture comprising a substantially horizontal member, reinforcing members carried by the margins of said horizontal member and including portions which project both above and below said horizontal member, and are of varying dimension longitudinally thereof, said members being formed integrally from plastic material and being of substantially uniform thickness throughout, a leg unit secured to and supporting said horizontal member and including a transverse panel portion at the upper end contoured to conform with and bear in flat face engagement against the bottom face of said horizontal member adjacent to said reinforcing members, and additional reinforcing members depending from said horizontal member spaced from the margins of the latter, said transverse leg panel portion including depending off-sets fitting around said last named reinforcing members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 106,543 Rogers Oct. 19, 1937 D. 126,710 Bond Apr. 22, 1941 D. 153,162 NelmS Mal'. 22, 1949 D. 155,272 Eames Sept. 20, 1949 1,456,800 Headley May 29, 1923 1,767,099 Stevens June 24, 1930 2,021,187 Lafeerty Nov. 19, 1935 2,364,050 Benson Dec. 5, 1944 2,471,024 Cramer May 24, 1949 2,488,728 Kopplin NOV. 22, 1949 2,554,490 Eames May 29, 1951 2,579,361 Cadman et al. Dec. 18, 1951 2,603,276 Lorenz et al. July 15, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 520,405 Germany Mar. 11, 1931 546,496 Great Britain July 16, 1942 571,517 Great Britain Aug. 28, 1945 

